The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) is seeking nominations and expressions of interest for membership on the Emergency Response Interoperability Center Public Safety Advisory Committee (Committee).  The purpose of this Committee is to make recommendations that will assist the Commission’s Emergency Response Interoperability Center (ERIC), an entity established within the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau [1], in the development of a technical framework and requirements for interoperability in order to ensure that the public safety wireless broadband network is interoperable on a nationwide basis.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act [2], the Commission published on July 23, 2010, a notice of its intent to establish the Committee [3].  The charter was then filed on August 6, 2010.  The charter terminates on August 6, 2012, although it may be renewed.

Under the terms of its charter, the Committee will be responsible for assisting ERIC as it implements the following policy objectives: (1) the adoption of technical and operational requirements and procedures to ensure a nationwide level of interoperability; (2) the adoption and implementation of requirements and procedures to address operability, roaming, priority access, gateway functions and interfaces, the interconnectivity of public safety broadband networks, and other matters related to the functioning of the nationwide public safety broadband network; (3) the adoption of authentication and encryption requirements for common public safety broadband applications and network use; (4) the coordination of ERIC’s policies with other entities, including other federal agencies; and (5) such other policies for which ERIC may have responsibilities from time to time.

Membership
The Commission seeks nominations and expressions of interest for membership on the Committee.  Members of the Committee may include representatives of state and local public safety agencies, public safety trade associations, federal user groups, and other segments of the public safety community, as well as service providers, equipment vendors and other industry segments, to balance the expertise and viewpoints that are necessary to effectively address the issues to be considered.  Members of the Committee will serve in a representative capacity.

Nominations/Expressions of Interest Procedures & Deadline
Nominations should be received by the Commission as soon as possible, but no later than Sept. 17, 2010.  Nominations received after this date may not be considered.  Organizations should consider proposing their Chief Executive Officer or another senior-level official in the organization as their representative on the Committee.  (Organizations may also propose an alternate representative, if they wish, but only one representative will be allowed to participate in Committee activities at any time.)  No specific nomination form is required.  However, each nomination must include the following information:

• Name of the entity, group, or organization being nominated for membership along with the name and title of the individual who will be representing the nominee and a description of the sector or interest the nominee will represent;
• Nominee and its proposed representative’s mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, and facsimile number; and
• A statement summarizing the nominee’s qualifications and reasons why the nominee should be selected for membership.

Please note this Notice is not intended to be the exclusive method by which the Commission will solicit nominations and expressions of interest to identify qualified candidates.  However, all candidates for membership on the Committee will be subject to the same evaluation criteria.

Nominations should be sent to Gene Fullano, Associate Bureau Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, via e-mail at [email protected]; via facsimile at 202/418-2817; or via U.S. mail at 445 12th Street SW, Room 7-C738, Washington, DC 20554.  Due to the extensive security screening of incoming mail, delivery of mail sent to the Commission may be delayed, and we encourage submission by e-mail or facsimile.

For more information, contact Gene Fullano, Associate Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, 202/418-0492 (voice) or [email protected] (e-mail).

References

1. The Federal Communications Commission recently established the Emergency Response Interoperability Center (ERIC) within the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau and tasked it with “implementing national interoperability standards and developing technical and operational procedures for the 700 MHz public safety broadband wireless network.”  Establishment of an Emergency Response Interoperability Center, PS Docket 06-229, Order, FCC 10-67 (rel. Apr. 23, 2010).
2. See 5 U.S.C. App. 2.
3. See 75 Fed. Reg. 43164 (2010).